Dante meets several respected poets active in the Middle Ages, yet his guide through Purgatory is the pagan Roman poet, Virgil. Why do you think he chose a pagan poet to guide him, and how does this choice help develop his poem’s themes?

How does Dante’s form embody his concept of history revealing divine truth gradually over time? Use specific examples from the text in your discussion.

When penitents realize that Dante is alive, they repeatedly ask him to carry a request to a loved one for prayers, or ask him to pray for them. Explain the significance of this request as it relates to the concept of purification from sin being a communal journey.